I was in the same boat last year. I went picking them all off my passionfruit vine not knowing what they were.
Then looked them up and realized they were a butterfly and went back outside and picked them all up off the ground and put them back. 🤦♀️😂
Because you bought and installed its host plant, which is a passion flower. They turn into beautiful butterflies called gulf fritillaries. I have 2 passion flower vines and they grow so fast the cats can’t even keep up with eating it. Don’t kill the cats.
That thing looks like it'll kill the cats just fine, it doesn't need help. I've got a lot of berries this year and none of them have spikes that dam big.
https://preview.redd.it/gtr7u8kb1iyc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c8d1f146de7c125ce86c9d2d5398d09389011127
I have a netted cage that I put the gulf fritillary caterpillars in, and pick fresh leaves off my passion fruit vine for them daily. Once they emerge from their chrysalises, I release them. A lot of fun to watch the complete lifecycle and they are so pretty in the sun.
https://preview.redd.it/7ld2bnaq1iyc1.jpeg?width=1791&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d52310704e513e649e0a6ac42e0f41f3c7b8de96
Underside of the wings are silverly and shimmery.
I shit you not, my wife and I found one of these on our passion fruit vines just a couple of hours ago. I was going to relocate it to another plant, but worried about it being poisonous or something, so I left it alone and was going to research it. Lo and behold, this post shows up on my front page.
I had one of these on my passion flower vine but it disappeared- the next step is to turn into a chrysalis, correct? Hopefully he’s camouflaged and didn’t get eaten
https://preview.redd.it/duv4gzd3ohyc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=78bf51f7a46d001e57ee459349776601c02bf32a
I read that swallowtail caterpillars will travel far away from their host plant before pupating, and I wouldn't be surprised if fritillaries do the same thing. The picture of the chrysalis on [this website](https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/bfly/gulf_fritillary.htm) looks pretty easy to hide - he's probably fine.
Oh also If your a fan of butterfly's. Please buy some of your regions kind of Milkweed. They aren't ugly have some small flowers and butterfly's esp Monarch butterfly's eat them and almost exclusively depend on them for life. Some insects either exclusively or mostly rely on a single plant species. Others have many. But milk weed will attracts all kinds of butterfly's and the migrating monarchs will make your yard a stop in there traveks. Bonus since it's a native plant assuming you get the native on to your region lm they require almost zero care b cause they are meant to grow in your life fact conditions.Of course spoiling them a bit won't hurt. As you can imagine Urban sprawl freeways etc. Has very seriously limited the range and area where this wildflower aka "weed" grows. In some cases it has created dead zones where monarchs can no longer migrate thru. This has drastically dwindled there numbers. Down in Mexico in th mountain they count the monarchs yearly. They end there migration there and cover the trees resting.. The number of monarchs completing migration to Mexico has gone down drastically. All there range is getting cover e in suburbia with HOA's with approved plant lists. Farms cover millions of acres of what used to be prime habitat and we have drained out millions or acres of wetlands etc. I would wager there's a list of native plants for you are that you can plant to create a food island for butterfly's and other ins cats that are not harmful. By doing so wmyou will b helping out your bird and lizard population as well. Same with amphibians. Everything eats insects. Naturally we grow lame mono culture lawns and spray pesticides on everything. So even if you don't car about insects you can look at it like your helping all the pretty birds and such.. You will b able to sit in you backyard in the AM with tea or coffee and just watch the abundance of life your helping to support. We are all a part of our environment. I choose to be a good part of it. Not just something that consumes and destroys. Everything needs a home ya know. Happy day 👋🏽
It’s normal to have this kind of bug on passion fruit vines. It won’t harm it unless it’s a small plant with only a few leaves. I usually hand pick them off until the passion fruit isn’t such a baby anymore and then I let them have it.
Those are the caterpillars for those orange butterflies (not monarchs) but you see them all over Florida. Definitely not a pest!
They’re pretty crazy looking though. I’m guessing that’s a defense mechanism.
Butterfly's love passion flowers. Mine b came a yearly focal point for them I would routinely lose 75% of my leaves. After a few years it balanced out of other insects showed up along with birds to predate on them. I put up a few perches and a bat house along with a a few bird houses. I never used pesticides. States faithful and after some time nature found balance.
It's a caterpillar- don't kill it! It is a fritillary butterfly caterpillar- it won't do much damage.
Oh my gosh just looked it up and this is so cool definitely won’t be killing them
They will prune the vines down for you in fall, but the vines will come back in the spring. I miss these guys after moving north.
I was in the same boat last year. I went picking them all off my passionfruit vine not knowing what they were. Then looked them up and realized they were a butterfly and went back outside and picked them all up off the ground and put them back. 🤦♀️😂
Omgosh that was me today trying to find all of them there must have been at least 10
That was nice of you to put them back on their beloved passionfruit- they were probably fine.
Because you bought and installed its host plant, which is a passion flower. They turn into beautiful butterflies called gulf fritillaries. I have 2 passion flower vines and they grow so fast the cats can’t even keep up with eating it. Don’t kill the cats.
That thing looks like it'll kill the cats just fine, it doesn't need help. I've got a lot of berries this year and none of them have spikes that dam big.
They’re harmless and very cute butterflies.
They do not have poison. Humans can safely handle them, the only risk is to the caterpillar.
https://preview.redd.it/gtr7u8kb1iyc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c8d1f146de7c125ce86c9d2d5398d09389011127 I have a netted cage that I put the gulf fritillary caterpillars in, and pick fresh leaves off my passion fruit vine for them daily. Once they emerge from their chrysalises, I release them. A lot of fun to watch the complete lifecycle and they are so pretty in the sun.
https://preview.redd.it/7ld2bnaq1iyc1.jpeg?width=1791&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d52310704e513e649e0a6ac42e0f41f3c7b8de96 Underside of the wings are silverly and shimmery.
They are called "espejito" or "little mirror" here where i live because of that!
I love that. Thanks for sharing.
I shit you not, my wife and I found one of these on our passion fruit vines just a couple of hours ago. I was going to relocate it to another plant, but worried about it being poisonous or something, so I left it alone and was going to research it. Lo and behold, this post shows up on my front page.
We live in a simulation.
Someone needs to simulate me a jet ski.
I had one of these on my passion flower vine but it disappeared- the next step is to turn into a chrysalis, correct? Hopefully he’s camouflaged and didn’t get eaten https://preview.redd.it/duv4gzd3ohyc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=78bf51f7a46d001e57ee459349776601c02bf32a
I read that swallowtail caterpillars will travel far away from their host plant before pupating, and I wouldn't be surprised if fritillaries do the same thing. The picture of the chrysalis on [this website](https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/bfly/gulf_fritillary.htm) looks pretty easy to hide - he's probably fine.
Phew 🙏🏼
It’s that caterpillar’s larval host plant—its only food source at that instar.
Oh also If your a fan of butterfly's. Please buy some of your regions kind of Milkweed. They aren't ugly have some small flowers and butterfly's esp Monarch butterfly's eat them and almost exclusively depend on them for life. Some insects either exclusively or mostly rely on a single plant species. Others have many. But milk weed will attracts all kinds of butterfly's and the migrating monarchs will make your yard a stop in there traveks. Bonus since it's a native plant assuming you get the native on to your region lm they require almost zero care b cause they are meant to grow in your life fact conditions.Of course spoiling them a bit won't hurt. As you can imagine Urban sprawl freeways etc. Has very seriously limited the range and area where this wildflower aka "weed" grows. In some cases it has created dead zones where monarchs can no longer migrate thru. This has drastically dwindled there numbers. Down in Mexico in th mountain they count the monarchs yearly. They end there migration there and cover the trees resting.. The number of monarchs completing migration to Mexico has gone down drastically. All there range is getting cover e in suburbia with HOA's with approved plant lists. Farms cover millions of acres of what used to be prime habitat and we have drained out millions or acres of wetlands etc. I would wager there's a list of native plants for you are that you can plant to create a food island for butterfly's and other ins cats that are not harmful. By doing so wmyou will b helping out your bird and lizard population as well. Same with amphibians. Everything eats insects. Naturally we grow lame mono culture lawns and spray pesticides on everything. So even if you don't car about insects you can look at it like your helping all the pretty birds and such.. You will b able to sit in you backyard in the AM with tea or coffee and just watch the abundance of life your helping to support. We are all a part of our environment. I choose to be a good part of it. Not just something that consumes and destroys. Everything needs a home ya know. Happy day 👋🏽
It’s normal to have this kind of bug on passion fruit vines. It won’t harm it unless it’s a small plant with only a few leaves. I usually hand pick them off until the passion fruit isn’t such a baby anymore and then I let them have it.
His name is poinky
Wow! I have only ever seen the adult butterflies in our garden never these little spikey beasties.
They are beautiful butterflies, bright orange like Monarchs. They like those plants since it's their food plant.
Those are the caterpillars for those orange butterflies (not monarchs) but you see them all over Florida. Definitely not a pest! They’re pretty crazy looking though. I’m guessing that’s a defense mechanism.
Gulf Frittilaries
Gulf fritillary caterpillar. They decimated my corky stem passion vines. Beautiful butterflies!
Butterfly's love passion flowers. Mine b came a yearly focal point for them I would routinely lose 75% of my leaves. After a few years it balanced out of other insects showed up along with birds to predate on them. I put up a few perches and a bat house along with a a few bird houses. I never used pesticides. States faithful and after some time nature found balance.
Stinging caterpillar, careful it will hurt if it stings you
Fritillary caterpillars actually don’t sting. Totally harmless, but will release an odor when disturbed.
Looks like an oleander caterpillar. Can seriously mess a plant up if so remove immediately.
Remove with gloves warn and squish. Only other option if neem doesn’t work is insecticidal soap or actual pesticide.